CAPE ARGUS (Capetown, S Africa) 24 November 05 Defanging the myths about snakes (John Yeld)
As the weather hots up, South Africa’s slithering hordes come out of hibernation, raising fears among the uninformed about deadly risks. But most of the region’s 146 species are either harmless or pose no clinical risk, Environment Writer John Yeld explains.
It’s early summer and with the growing heat and mating season in full swing, the Western Cape’s snake populations have come out of hibernation.
Last week, one snake-catcher had 15 calls for help in one morning. Like sharks, snakes have acquired an undeserved reputation, and most people are petrified of them – mainly through ignorance.
Contrary to popular opinion, snakes are definitely not wet or slimy, nor are most aggressive or dangerous.
But they all need to be treated with respect, even the non-venomous varieties, and the best policy is always either to leave the snakes to go about their business, or to call in an experienced, licensed snake-handler to remove the reptile, if there is real concern about its presence.
“While a ‘hug-a-snake’ campaign is not necessary, greater tolerance and understanding of these efficient and unique predators is certainly called for,” says leading herpetologist Bill Branch.
Writing in his definitive field guide, Branch says the vast majority of the 146 species of snake in southern Africa are completely harmless or clinically unimportant.
“In fact, they do a tremendous amount of good in controlling agricultural pests … In southern Africa, snakes are considered as important as birds of prey in controlling dassies and cane-rats in farmlands.”
Snakes are reptiles, characterised by a scaly skin covered with a thin, dry horny layer that is shed periodically, either in bits or in one piece.
They occur throughout the sub-region, and there is at least one venomous species in every region, Branch notes.
Of the 146 species, just 37 have fangs and venom that can cause clinical symptoms in humans. But some of these venoms are less toxic than the stings of bees and wasps, and are not considered dangerous, he says.
Only 15 species of snakes have been responsible for causing human deaths on the sub-continent: the five cobra species, two mamba species, rinkhals, shieldnose snake, Namibian coral snake, puff adder, gaboon adder, boomslang, bird snake and the rock python (by crushing).
Of these, only three are regularly seen within the Cape metropolitan area: Cape cobra, puff adder and boomslang. The rinkhals also occurs, but sightings have been rare in the past five years.
The bites of several other species – about 27 species of snake occur on the Peninsula – can be serious and may even have been fatal in exceptional circumstances, although there have been no documented deaths, Branch notes.
But even where large numbers of these venomous snakes occur – such as in KwaZulu-Natal – snakebite is “rarely a significant risk”, he says.
“The following figures illustrate the point: in South Africa over 10 000 people are killed every year in road accidents; 2 000 die from lung cancer and other diseases related to cigarette smoking; about 200 are struck and killed by lightning; and fewer than 20 – perhaps as few as 10 – die from snakebite.”
But even if a snake is not venomous, it may still deliver a nasty bite that can be extremely painful – for example, the molesnake, which occurs locally, is aggressive when caught and can bite and twist, leaving deep gashes that may require stitches, Branch says.
So please, treat all snakes with respect, acknowledge and appreciate their vital ecological role – and give them a wide berth wherever possible.
Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles, by Bill Branch is published by Struik.
Defanging the myths about snakes